Comfort X Hammock

ABSTRACT

A hammock design which provides increased lifting at its mid-length or medial portion through a combination of wide bands of fabric in a lengthwise X-shaped formation with a curved or bent spreader bar. In a preferred use, the spreader bar rises from a lower middle part toward higher raised ends. This hammock allows the user a comfortable positioning with nearly horizontal transverse support at the users shoulders and a nearly level position from head to toe.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority from provisional U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 61/271,264, filed Jul. 18, 2009.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to hammocks, particularly one in which anoccupant is supported by material suspended between at least two points.An occupant suspended above the ground in a hammock may rest from a fewhours for daytime napping up to a full night sleep in places where thehammock is a substitute for a bed such as aboard ship or in somecountries.

Hammocks in general have been used for thousands of years, however mostrecent improvements appear in the last 100 years.

Prior art patents show different concepts and inventions related toincrease level surface, spreader bar improvements, variable tensioningof fabrics, specific fabric shapes and asymmetric position of fabric andspreader bars. Graham's U.S. Pat. No. 645,805, Potter's U.S. Pat. No.717,119, Hall's U.S. Pat. No. 4,001,902, Fueslein's U.S. Pat. No.4,021,868, Scott's U.S. Pat. No. 6,347,638, Eriksen's U.S. Pat. No.6,701,549, Hennessey's U.S. Pat. No. 6,865,757 and Helsdon's U.S. Pat.No. 7,020,915 each show improvements to hammocks. These patents showvarious ways to achieve some improvement of comfort as less curvaturelengthwise for the occupant usually at the detriment of the lateralflatness of the hammock. Some others are keeping the lateral flatness tothe detriment of a multi-steep flatness lengthwise.

Most hammock materials used today have a strong longitudinal strengthwith low elongation of around 2 to 5 percent in that direction whichallows a person to lie in the hammock and be well supported, especiallyif a pre-tension of 20 to 100 lbs is made upon installing the hammock.

Many hammocks are so concave from side to side that any field of visionhorizontally is gone and the occupant is constrained to resist a highlevel of side to side pressure.

A final and important drawback to most patents using only a two-ringsupport system, is when a higher tension is applied on the rings inorder to improve the level lengthwise, a similar decrease of stabilityis brought about making it nearly impossible to stay on the hammock.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is therefore a foremost object of this invention to provide a hammockwhere the supporting surface is substantially level both lengthwise andlaterally at the upper body level where the occupant lies on the hammockfor pleasure or sleeping purposes.

A second object of this invention is to provide a low cost butsophisticated fabric support system which is easy to use eitherrecreationally or under more tension such as sleeping surface includinga three point anchoring design allowing lengthwise level and highstability combined with ease of installation.

A third object of this invention is to provide a fabric structure withtwo wide bands in an X formation, which supports the weight of theoccupant exactly where it is more concentrated, from ⅓ to ⅔ of thehammock in its center as shown later on line force diagram, FIG. 4A.

A fourth object of this invention is to provide improved tensioningincluding non-linear, curved or bent spreader bars, the positioning ofwhich can provide a near-level surface for the occupant. This elevationof the bar ends, which work similarly as a suspended bridge, allows easyadjustment of the hammock tension, comfort and level degree as desired.

Several other objects and advantages of this invention are to providelateral stability through double anchoring at one end of the hammock viaa single tree or post with a triangle or a spreader block which allows atwo point anchoring system; a second way to achieve this stability is toprovide one of the spreader bars with two clip-on legs free to rotateand hold either end from leaning side to side.

It is understood that 3 or 4 points anchoring is preferable, whenpossible. Use of this hammock in a house would preferably be fixed solidat the head with a double short anchoring system which allows tensioningwhile preserving full stability.

The preferred embodiments of the invention have been described; howeverseveral other embodiments based on the broad designs and configurationsof the present invention are contemplated within the scope of the claimspresented below.

A first non-illustrated arrangement is the solid attachment of onespreader bar directly onto a bedroom wall, a ship partition or anoutdoor hammock support. In such a situation only one end would requirea variable length attachment which can include a one or two ringstructure, or not.

Another non-illustrated arrangement of the hammock is where therectangular fabric flap would be self supporting without any attachmentto the spreader bar; in this case, the fabric lateral strength combinedwith a certain extra length of fabric and an appropriate hem with orwithout rope into the hem would provide the basic comfort required.

A third arrangement is where the larger diagonal fabric band wouldinclude a certain degree of looseness at the location of the head andthe feet.

Several other arrangements are possible through using the basic elementsof the first embodiment and integrating these into the other embodimentsespecially the third and fourth.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 shows a top view of the hammock which forms the first embodimentwhen combined with FIG. 2B.

FIG. 2A is a top view of the diagonal fabric bands of FIG. 1.

FIG. 2B is a top view of the upper fabric layer fastened to FIG. 1 inorder to complete the

-   -   first embodiment.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the first embodiment combining FIG. 1 and FIG.2B

FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the line of force acting in betweensupport, spreader bar

-   -   and fabric of the 1st embodiment.

FIG. 4B is a perspective view of a prior art line of force.

FIG. 4C is a perspective view of another more recent prior art showingthe line of force.

FIG. 4D is a side view drawing of a photograph taken from a prior artpatent 4C.

FIG. 5 is a top view of preferred and second embodiment of the ComfortXHammock.

FIG. 6A is a side view of the second embodiment shown in an unloadedposition

FIG. 6B is the same as FIG. 6A except it is loaded (i.e. with anoccupant)

FIG. 6C is a photograph of a prototype of the ComfortX Hammock followingthe second

-   -   embodiment configuration.

FIG. 7 shows a top view of a double wide hammock made compact byoverlapping the

-   -   diagonal fabric band at the center of the hammock.

FIG. 8 is a schematic view of a third embodiment built with only twopieces of fabric.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERICALS

10 single wide hammock

12 spreader bar

14 spreader bar

16 large band of fabric

18 large band of fabric

20 sew line

22 loop

24 loop

26 sew line

28 sew line

30 single ring

32 supporting ropes

34 anchor holes

36 double rings

38 supporting ropes

40 anchor holes

42 fabric end

44 fabric end

46 material holes

48 material holes

50 rectangular fabric

52 medium width hem

54 adjustable flap

56 sew line

58 variable length rope

60 fix flap

62 sew line

64 sew line

66 sew line

68

70 force line

72 force line

74 force line

76 force line

78

80 hammock

82 force line

84 spreader bar

86 force line

88 spreader bar

90 force line

92 hammock

93 edges webbing

94 transversal line

96 spreader bar

97 spreader bar

98 force lines

100 force lines

102

104

106

108

110 ComfortX Hammock

112

113 spreader bar

114 spreader bar

116 fabric band

118 fabric band

120 sew line

122

124 sew line

126 sew line

128 sew line

130 ring

131 ropes

132 ropes

133 ring

134

135 rope

136 spaced rings

137 lower center holes

138 series of ropes

139 tree

140 holes

141 spreader block

142

143 bungee cord

144

145 two hooks

146

148

150

152

154 rectangular fabric

156 flap

157 sew line

158 rope

160 flap

161 sew line

162 ring

163 an opening

164 sew line

166 sew line

168

170 double wide hammock

172 diagonal band

172 ¹ diagonal band

173 triangle section

174 diagonal band

174 ¹ diagonal band

175 triangular section

176 double curve bar

177 four holes

178 straight bar

179 series of holes

180

182 locking device

183 tension ropes

184 tension ropes

186 double fabric

188 four ropes

190 two rings

192 collapsible triangle

194 two hanging hooks

195 recess hub section

196 two hinges

197 clip-on legs

198 tree

200 fourth embodiment

202 diagonal fabric band

204 diagonal fabric band

206 double bend spreader bar

208 straight spreader bar

210

212 fabric end

214 sew line

216 double flap

218 fabric ends

219 cut off line

220 sew line

221 group of ropes

222 fabric loop

224 fabric end

226 sew line

228 sew line

230 series of ropes

232 sewing line

It is useful to note that these specific details to the inventionembodiments are already known by the persons familiar with theconstruction of hammock structure and construction.

The many advantages which are inherent to the embodiments structure areobvious to the one skilled in the art. Those embodiments are describedherein illustratively and are not meant to limit the scope of theinvention, therefore variation of the basic embodiments is intended tobe encompassed by the following claims.

1. A hammock comprising a. a bed made of sheet material of rectangularshape, b. two bands of material diagonally located and fastened to thebed sheet at each end with a reinforced edge which is load bearing, thehammock being operatively fastened to connecting means toward supportingstructures.
 2. The hammock of claim 1 wherein side edges of the bedsheet material are folded below and sewn with a hem thereby reinforcingthe hammock edges and the outer ends of the diagonal bands of material.3. The hammock of claim 2 wherein said bands of material are formed atan angle of approximately 30 degrees between each other in an X shape.4. The hammock of claim 3 wherein the bed sheet and bands of materialare made of a fabric with a low stretch level of only about two to fivepercent.
 5. The hammock of claim 4 wherein each of the diagonal bands ofmaterial having a width dimension of approximately one third of thewidth of the hammock bed and having a length dimension approximately twoto three percent shorter than the bed sheet for material of equivalentstretch level such as cotton, polyester or similar fabric.
 6. Thehammock of claim 5 including a single spreader bar connecting one end ofthe bed material to the connecting means.
 7. The hammock of claim 6wherein an opposite end of the hammock is supported by a doubleconnecting means pulling outwardly through ties from the hammockmaterial towards two supporting structure points.
 8. The hammock ofclaim 5 including two spreader bars, each spreader bar connecting arespective end of the fabric bed and corresponding connecting andsupporting means.
 9. The hammock of claim 8 wherein one of said spreaderbars being a curved, bent or multi-bent bar, said one bar extendingupwardly and outwardly from a middle portion of the bar to opposite endsof the bar while in use thus providing a lift of the diagonal bands ofup to 6 inches higher than the middle portion of the bar.
 10. Thehammock of claim 9 wherein each spreader bar being curved, bent ormulti-bent, said one bar being oriented in a nearly vertical plane andthe other bar being oriented in a nearly horizontal plane while in use.11. The hammock of claim 6 wherein each end of the bed sheet including amiddle flap portion with level adjustment means for allowing raising andlowering of the bed sheet portions for adjustably supporting the headand feet of the occupant in a level manner.
 12. The hammock of claim 9including control rope means for adjusting the orientation of said onebar from a more upwardly extending position to a less upwardly extendingposition.
 13. The hammock of claim 9 wherein the hammock is supported bythree support points with two points of support at one end of the bed.14. The hammock of claim 13 wherein said two points of support beingprovided by a spreader block held against a tree or post and creating astable wide two point support structure.
 15. A double wide hammockcomprising a. four diagonal bands of material creating two wideside-by-side X-shapes at least partially overlapping each other, b. awide rectangular bed cover material, c. a straight spreader baroperatively connected at one end of the hammock, d. a multi-bendspreader bar operatively connected at another end of the hammock and e.tension members or ropes capable of suspending said hammock between atleast two upright supports or trees.
 16. The hammock of claim 15 furtherincluding a pair of clip-on legs fastened to at least one of saidspreader bars in order to provide extra stability.
 17. A single widehammock comprising a. two very wide bands of diagonal overlappingmaterial, one of said bands of material extending from a first spreaderbar end portion to a diagonally opposite second spreader bar endportion, a second of said bands of material extending from a second endportion of said first spreader bar to another diagonally opposite secondspreader bar end portion, b. one of said spreader bars being a curved,bent or multi-bent bar, said one bar extending upwardly and outwardlyfrom a middle portion of the bar to opposite ends of the bar while inuse thus providing a lift of the diagonal bands higher than the middleportion of the bar, c. each end of the hammock including a middle flapportion with level adjustment means for allowing raising and lowering ofthe middle flap portions for adjustably supporting the head and feet ofthe occupant in a level manner.
 18. The hammock of claim 17 furtherincluding a breathing hole formed in the material of the hammockallowing relaxing face down use by an occupant.
 19. The hammock of claim6 further including a breathing hole formed in the material of thehammock allowing relaxing face down use by an occupant.
 20. The hammockof claim 8 further including control tension of fabric bed throughfabric and hem looseness at the spreader bars connecting means.